Steve Faulkner playing for United res against Derby County res in the 1970's.
United were attacking the kop end when the ball came out of the penalty area through a crowd of players to Faulkner who was about 30-35 yards out. He hit it first time and it went like a rocket straight towards goal - although I can't remember if it was a toe-ender or a roll-down-leg. The Derby keeper was rooted to the spot as it pinged the top of the crossbar and flew into an empty kop, accompanied by the groans and jeers of all around in the John Street Terrace. In the end we only won the game 2-0 and, as it was goal average in those days instead of difference, it meant that if the big hairy lummox had put that in and then gone on to score another 5 goals during the remainder of his games in the reserves, we would have leap-frogged Newcastle to finish that season in 6th place in the Central League instead of a lowly 7th.
As an impressionable youngster, that miss and those statistics were ingrained on my mind for many a year and I think it's that reason why I've always blamed the frizzy haired buffoon for United's subsequent demise on the world football stage. Thanks Steve....
